Electric-circuit-breaking device.



F. S PERRIN.

ELECTRIC cmcun BREAKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 1916- 1289255. I I Patented Beef 31, 1918.

23 21 2,20 s IL. T Z O o O 1a H jg 3 l u l I /3 v a 4 6 HIM: |,i IIHI I E} I 1 0 O 7 2 I h 5 I ATTORNEY I WITNESSES. I if, 1m: 45 W f5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EREDEBIG s. PEBRIN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 sPLITDoRE ELECTRICAL COMPANY, 0E NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT-BREAKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FBEDERIC S. PERRIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Circuit Breaking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

In my application for Letters Patent for improvements in electric circuit breaking devices, filed April 18, 1916, Serial No. 91,861, I have set forth an electric circuit having make-andh..'eak means, a movable member adapted to make and break said circuit, and means to positively break the circuit in any position of rest of said member, the object being to cause automatic breaking of the circuit when it happens to be closed for a longer time than necessary for the purpose intended, whereby to stop the useless consumption of the electric current.

The object of my present invention is to provide motor-controlled means to cause breaking of the circuit when the apparatus is at rest, the operation of such means being controlled by a circuit controlling member, said motor controlled means being maintained in operative condition by said memher.

In carrying out my invention I provide an electric circuit having make-and-break means including a movable member, a motor, a rod or the like adapted to maintain the motor in operative condition as actuated by said member and to be moved by said motor, and means controlled by said rod for breaking the circuit when the rod is operated by said motor while said member is in certain positions of rest.

In a specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I have shown a spring-driven gear train having an arm normally under the influence of the spring, adapted to operate the aforesaid rod to cause the latter to operate means for breaking the circuit, the aforesaid member coacting with said rod to maintain thespring wound by operating said arm as required, said arm serving under the influence of said spring, as retarded in its movement by the operation of the train of gearing, to move said rod to cause breaking of the circuit, the rotation of said member with respect to the rod, however, causing the rod to be maintained in a position against the action of said spring, such as will permit breaking of the circuit during the desired operation thereof by said member, the'parts being so arranged that when the member comes to rest in certain positions, said rod will be moved to cause breaking of the circuit but its movement will be retarded by the action of the gear train.

My present improvements afiord a simple and inexpensive mechanically operating mechanism adapted to permit the circuit to be made and broken during its use in an ordinary manner, and yet to be automatically broken when not in use to save the useless consumption of current.

My invention also comprises novel details of improvement and combinations of'parts that Will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims. I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating an electric circuit equipped with my improvements, and

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, showing member 2 in a different position.

The shaft indicated at 1 is adapted to be supported and operated in any suitable manner, and may be a shaft of an internal combustion engine or any other apparatus in connection with which my improvements are adapted to be utilized. A rotative member is indicated at 2 adapted to be operated by shaft 1, and may be secured to the latter in any suitable manner. I have shown. memher 2 in the form of a cam having fourhigh points and four 10w points, although. it will be understood that said member may have as many high and low points as desired. An arm 3, which may be pivotally supported at 3*, is shown provided with one member of contact 10, and with an insulating piece 4 adapted to be actuated by member 2 for rocking said arm. A spring 11, which may be supported as at 12, normally coacts with arm '3 to cause closing of the contact 10. Arm 3 is shown connected with one side of battery 28 by conductor 31, the other side of which battery is shown connected by conductor 30 with a member of contact 10, any suitable translating device, indicated at 29, being included in such circuit. When memher 2 rotates it will cause arm 3 to make and break the circuit at 10 11). an ordinary manner. A movable element 9, shown pivotally supported at 9*, is adapted to break the circuit at contact 10, for which purpose said element is shown adapted to operate arm 3, said element normally resting against an insulating stop 8 when contact 10 is closed. A. spring 2'? may be provided conneoting element 9 with base 7, or otherwise, tending normally to keep said element against stop 8. Element 9 is adapted to be operated to break the circuit at contact 10 when member 2 comes to rest in certain positions, and the circuit will be broken also in case member 2 comes to rest with a high part raising arm 3 to separate the contact members. I have shown a rod 5 slidable in bearings 6 on plate 7 and adapted to be operated by shaft 1, as by the engagement of rod 5 with member 2. Said rod is shown provided with a shoulder 5 adapted to engage element 9 to cause it to operate to'break the circuit when said rod rests 1n a low part.

of member 2, as by causing element 9 to rock to move lever 8 to separate the members of contact 10. When member 2 rotates and its high parts engage rod 5 the latter will be pushed in a direction away from said member, and in order to move said rod reversely or toward said member I have shown a motor having an arm 15 to engage said rod to push it to the right in the drawings. The motor I have shown comprises a spring driven clock train, wherein one end of spring le' is attached to a winding arbor or shaft 15 and the other end of the spring is attached to a post of frame 13, a ratchet 17 also being secured to arbor 15 A gear 18 loose on arbor 15 is provided with a springpressed pawl 16 to coact with said ratchet, whereby the spring 14; will cause rotation of said gear. A suitable train of gearing is driven by gear 18, such as the train indicated at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 241-, 25. Said train of gearing is shown provided with a fan 26 to retard its rotation. The uniwinding tendency of the spring 14 is to move arm 15 toward rod 5 and to drive the train of gearing simultaneously, the gearing and fan retarding such action as desired. The particular train of gearing illustrated and the number of gears therein may be altered from that shown if desired.

When my improvements are installed for use, arm 15 may be rotated to wind spring 14 tothe desired extent, and then said arm will be brought to rest in position against rod 5, the spring action tending to cause said rod to approach member 2. If a low part of member 2 opposes rod 5 and shoulder 5'" en engages element 9, the circuit will be broken by the separation of members of contact 10 caused by the tilting of element 9 by rod 5. When member 2 rotates, its high naaaaee parts, by engaging rod 5 successively, cause said rod to more outwardly, and thereby cause arm 15-to tend to wind spring 14, and the reverse action of said spring and arm tends to cause rod 5 to more toward member 2, but such movement of arm 15 is so retarded by the train of gearing that shoulder 5 will not on gage element 9, so as to cause breaking of the circuit at 10, so long as member 2 continues to rotate, since the high parts of said member, by successively engaging rod 5, keep arm 15 and said rod pressed to the left in the drawings. in case member 2 comes to rest with a low part o posite member 5, then, as before stated, arm 15, under the influence of spring 14, with a gradual or retarded motion, will cause shoulder 5 to operate element 9 to break the circuit at 10, which will remain broken un til'member 2 is again rotated. ince memher 2 continually'tends to move rod 5 away therefrom, when said member rotates. and thereby moves arm 15 to the left in Fig. 2, said arm will cause arbor 15 to rotate and ratchet l7 beneath pawl 16, to continually rewind spring 14 as the same may become unwound when it causes arm 15 to push rod 5 toward member 2. The rod 5, therefore, has the various functions of keeping the spring 14 continually wound and as acting as, an actuator between the motor and con tact 10 for breaking the circuit at said contact. in case member 2 should come to rest with a high part engaging rod 5 so as to push said rod'suiiiciently to the left in the drawings to permit the contact to close at 10, then a high partof member 2 will be in such position as to cause lever 3 to be moved to break the circuit at 10. The arrangement illustrated and described, therefore, is such that in any position of member 2 when it is at rest the circuit will be broken at 10, either through the action of shoulder 5 against element 9 causing lever 3 to be moved to separate the members of contact 10 or by the direct action of member 2 upon said lever for the same purpose, and it is only by the continued rotation of member 2 that shoulder E is held sufficiently far away from element 9 as to permit lever 3 to freely operate under the action of member 2 for making and breaking the circuit during operation of the apparatus.

My improvements will be found useful in conjunction with ignition systems of internal combustion engines, since the member 2 can cause successive breaking and making of the circuit at the contact 10, and yet when the member 2 ceases to rotate the circuit will be automatically opened and will so remain, to prevent waste of battery current in the cir cuit when the engine is idle and until the engine has again started, since in ignition systems 7 an operator sometimes leaves the controlling switch closed, and thereby the naeaaaa battery in the circuit is liable to run down and waste the current in those ignition systems not equipped with means to break the circuit when the engine is idle. My improvements, may, of course, be utilized in circuits other than those for ignition systems of internal combustion engines, wherein a movable member makes and breaks the circuit in use. Member 2 may be the actuating cam of a timer and distributer of an ignition system. My improvements are istinguished from electrically and thermally operating devices to break a circuit when not in use, since rod 5 is under the control of rotative member 2, and in turn is controlled by the mechanically operating motor Without regard to current from a battery in the circuit.

My invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangements of parts set forth, nor to the particular construction of motor or cam-like member 2 illustrated, as the same may be varied, Within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

. Having now described my invention what I claim is z 1. The combination of an electric circuit having a pair of cooperative contacts, with a movable member adapted to make and break said circuit and a spring driven gear train adapted to act on said movable member to separate said contacts after a predetermined interval of time.

2. The combination 01. an electric circuit having a pair of coiiperative circuits, a movable element carrying one of said contacts, a second movable member adapted to act on the first movable member, a third movable member for acting on the second movable member, and a spring driven train of gears adapted to act on the third movable member whereby the second movable member is 'aused to actuate the first movable member should said contacts remain closed for a considerable length of time.

3. The combination of an electric circuit having a pair of coiiperative contacts with a movable element carrying one of said con tacts, a movable member cooperating with said movable element to make and break said circuit at said contacts and a controller for said movable element consisting of a spring driven train of gears adapted to ac tuate said movable element through the movable member to break the circuit when said topics movable element is at rest over a substantial interval of time.

4;. The combination of an electric circuit including an ignition device having two contact points, of means to move one of said contact points to make and break the circuit periodically and continually and means including a spring driven train of gears adapted to act on said movable contact to move it away from the other contact after an appreciable interval of time.

5. lhe combination of an electrical circuit having a source ofelectrical energy and a translating device therein, a current inter rupter, means for periodically operating said interrupter to open and close the circuit and separate means including a. spring operated motor for operating said interrupter to open the circuit when said interrupter remains closed for a substantial period of time.

6. The combination of an electrical circuit having a source oi? electrical energy and a translating device therein, a current inter-- rupter, means for periodically operating said interrupter to open. and close the circuit, separate means including a spring operated motor for operating said interrupter to open the circuit when said interrupter remains closed for a substantial period of time, said first mentioned means serving also to maintain said spring motor under propulsive force.

7. The combination of an electric circuit, circuit breaking means therefor, a spring driven train of gears having an arm and comprising a ratchet and pawl, a rod coactive with said arm, the movable member of the circuit breaking means being adapted to operate said rod to cause said arm to wind the spring and move the ratchet and pawl relatively one operated by said arm to break the circuit when the movable member is idle, said rod being operated by the movable member to permit making and breaking the circuit by said member, said train of gears having a fan to retard movement of the red by said arm.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 1st day of May, A. D. 1916.

lEREDERIC S. PEER-lid. Witnesses:

T. F. BOURNE, MARIE F. Vtfarunmnr.

by addressing the bommissioner oi Wetsuits,

to another, said rod being 

